Peter Pan and the Lost Fae of Neverland

[02] DUO

"I finally found you, Peter Pan."

Peter found himself frozen in place, hands trembling as he attempted to pinch himself just to see if he was dreaming. Baka naman aksidente lang siyang nakatulog kanina? O kaya nadulas siya papunta sa teatro at naumpog ang ulo sa kung saan man? Because there is no way in hell he's awake right now! 

"Ouch," he blurted out in pain when his nails dug deep into the skin of his arm. Sinulyapan niya ang pamumuo ng dugo sa maliit na sugat. "H-Hindi ito isang panaginip?!"

Nanghinga ang kanyang mga tuhod sa reyalisasyon.

Nang ibalik niya ang kanyang tingin sa kakaibang nilalang, nahigit na lang niya ang kanyang paghinga nang mapansing halos idikit na nito ang mukha sa kanya. Dahil dito, nawalan ng balanse si Peter at nahulog mula sa maliit na hagdan. The trap door slamming shut above him as if concealing him in a darkness that he is all too familiar with. Napadaing sa sakit ang binata. Bakit ba parang isinusuka na siya ng mundo?

He can't be that useless as a human being that even this world doesn't want him anymore, can he?

'Who am I kidding? Nobody ever wanted me since my fame and luck ran down the drain,' he thought bitterly.

Tuwing pilit niyang inaalala ang kanyang kabataan, hindi niya maiwasang kuwestiyunin ang kanyang sarili. Not only is he struggling to remember most of his chidhood and early adolescent years, but the few fragments of memories he kept are out of focus. Just like a play in a theatre were all the actors don't have any faces, seemingly not following a storyline at all. Hindi maintindihan ni Peter ang kwento, kung kailan ito nagsimula o kung papaano siya humatong sa puntong ito. This always kept him awake at night, turning in his sheets.

The feeling of being incomplete.

Suddenly, Peter jolted out of his thoughts when the trap door creaked open. Mula sa kanyang pagkakasalampak sa sahig, napaatras ang binata nang makitang sumilip ang estranghero. The man was the size of an average human, probably even a half a foot taller than he is.

"S-Sino ka? Bakit mo ako sinundan dito?!"

But the strange glow in his eyes and the fairy wings are a tell-tale sign that he is anything but human.

Peter cowered in the corner, his heart pounding inside his chest. That was when the strange man suddenly leaped in and lifted Peter up by grabbing his hands. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Peter nang mapagtantong hindi na nakatapak ang kanyang mga paa sa sahig. Nang sumulyap siya sa ibaba, doon niya napansing ilang talampakan na pala ang layo ng stage. Mas maliit pa pala ito kaysa sa inaasahan niya, pero hindi ma-appreciate ni Peter ang bagay na 'yon dahil...

"LUMILIPAD AKO?! AAAAAHHH! TULONG!"

Para siyang aatakihin sa puso nang umangat pa lalo sila. Nagsisisigaw sa ere si Peter dala ng kaba at takot. Mahina namang natawa ang nilalang na agad niyang ikinagalit. He gripped onto the creature's hands for dear life before gazing up at him with a glare.

"HOY! IBABA MO AKO! SAAN MO 'KO DADALHIN?!"

Ngumiti naman ang lalaki, isang pilyo at mapang-asar na ngiti.

"Sa Neverland."

"Ha? B-Bakit?

"Iuuwi na kita roon."

Pakiramdam ni Peter tatakasan na siya ng kanyang kaluluwa nang biglang bumulusok pataas ang nilalang. They flew up, out of the collapsed ceiling of Palais Eastwood, and into the vast night sky. Natatarantang kumapit si Peter sa mga braso ng nilalang. Sa mga sandaling ito, mas natatakot siyang mahulog sa lupa at maging pancake kaysa sa kalokohang binabalak gawin ng kung sinuman ito. He held on for dear life, even though he never really cared much of his life. Peter wanted to laugh at the irony, if only they weren't at an alarming height from the ground.

Nang mag-angat ng tingin si Peter, doon niya napansing tahimik lang siyang pinagmamasdan ng nilalang.

There was a questioning glint in his gaze.

"Were you always this afraid of flying? I thought you were an expert?"

Nang hindi nakaimik si Peter, mabilis namang lumipad ang nilalang sa himpapawid. He was paralyzed as they soared over the clouds. It almost felt like they can reach the stars.

"Tingnan mo ang mundo ng mga mortal, ang mundong pinili mo. Was it worth betraying us, Peter Pan?"

Anong pinagsasasabi ng isang 'to?

Takot at naguguluhan man, sumilip sa ibaba si Peter. His breath hitched upon seeing the world below. A blanket of dark landscape decorated in citylights. From here, he can see the streets of Eastwood and the vintage lamp posts that lit up the sidewalk resembling small dots in a distance. The park he used to go to when he wanted some time alone was shrouded in shadows, trees covering the view of the palyground. The lush forest of Eastwood bordered the west, a dangerous area where he ran off to a handful of times. It was usually off limits because of the recent accidents, pero para sa isang kagaya ni Peter, hindi nito alintana ang panganib.

Tahimik at manghang pinagmasdan ni Peter ang mundo sa ibaba.

He never knew viewing the world from a different perspective can change so many things.

"Ang ganda..."

Maya-maya pa, nagulat na lang si Peter nang biglang lumipad patungo sa clock tower ang nilalang. Before could even complain, the creature landed him on the spire of the tower. Peter balanced himself on a ledge, almost panicking when he realized he couldn't see the ground anymore. Nalulula siyang kumapit sa istruktura, dumoble ang bilis ng pintig ng kanyang puso dala kaba.

All the rush of excitement and amazement long gone in an instant.

'One slip and I'll be as good as dead.'

"Anong naaalala mo?"

Panandaliang natigil ang pag-iisip ni Peter ng mga scenario kung paano siya posibleng mahulog sa clock tower nang marinig ang boses ng nilalang. That's when he noticed the creature was floating in front of him, arms crossed over his masculine chest. What a stark contrast to the glowing translucent wings he has behind his back.

"Naaalala saan? A-At bakit mo ba ako dinala rito?"

Napasimangot ang nilalang. "Do you even remember Neverland?"

"What, like the fictional world in that children's book? I mean, I did make a name for myself in the threater playing as Peter Pan back in the days..."

Napasapo na lang ng kanyang noo ang nilalang, tila ba unti-unti nang nauubusan ng pasensya.

"Aside from that," he urged. "Do you have any recollection of the life you had in Neverland?"

"I..."

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Peter. Aaminin ba talaga niya ang kanyang kondisyon sa isang estranghero?

"...I don't even remember anything about my childhood anymore. Hindi ko maalala ang maraming bagay sa nakaraan ko. I-I have retrograde amnesia."

Sandaling natahimik ang nilalang. Hindi alam ni Peter kung imahinasyon lang ba niya o sumilay ba talaga ang awa sa mga mata nito. Peter balled his hands into fists in an attempt to prevent them from trembling so much. Ilang sandali pa, narinig niya ulit ang boses nito.

That was when he noticed the creature stretched his hand out for a handshake.

"You can call me Jester," he softly began. "By now, I believe you already have an idea on what I am... I'm a fae from Neverland."

Peter stared in disbelief. Neverland, he says? Muntikan na siyang natawa kung hindi lang dahil sa sitwasyon niya.

Pero ang sumunod nitong sinabi ang tuluyang nakapagpawala ng anumang pag-aalinlangan ni Peter.

"Let's make a deal, shall we?"

---

"I must go down to the seas again,
to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship
and a star to steer her by."

---John Masefield, "Sea Fever"